Regulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-dependent HIV-1 transcription reveals a new role for NFAT5 in the toll-like receptor pathway

PLoS Pathog. 2012;8(4):e1002620. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002620. Epub 2012 Apr 5.

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) disease in HIV co-infected patients contributes to increased mortality by activating innate and adaptive immune signaling cascades that stimulate HIV-1 replication, leading to an increase in viral load. Here, we demonstrate that silencing of the expression of the transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) by RNA interference (RNAi) inhibits Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb)-stimulated HIV-1 replication in co-infected macrophages. We show that NFAT5 gene and protein expression are strongly induced by MTb, which is a Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligand, and that an intact NFAT5 binding site in the viral promoter of R5-tropic HIV-1 subtype B and subtype C molecular clones is required for efficent induction of HIV-1 replication by MTb. Furthermore, silencing by RNAi of key components of the TLR pathway in human monocytes, including the downstream signaling molecules MyD88, IRAK1, and TRAF6, significantly inhibits MTb-induced NFAT5 gene expression. Thus, the innate immune response to MTb infection induces NFAT5 gene and protein expression, and NFAT5 plays a crucial role in MTb regulation of HIV-1 replication via a direct interaction with the viral promoter. These findings also demonstrate a general role for NFAT5 in TLR- and MTb-mediated control of gene expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Cells, Cultured
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • HIV Infections / metabolism*
  • HIV-1 / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinases / immunology
  • Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinases / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / metabolism*
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / immunology
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / immunology
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • Toll-Like Receptors / immunology
  • Toll-Like Receptors / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / immunology
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Tuberculosis / immunology
  • Tuberculosis / metabolism*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Peptides and Proteins / immunology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Virus Replication / immunology*

Substances

  • MYD88 protein, human
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88
  • NFAT5 protein, human
  • TRAF7 protein, human
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • Transcription Factors
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Peptides and Proteins
  • IRAK1 protein, human
  • Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinases